Wood-burning insert vs gas insert — which should I choose?
In Fairview, the woodlots make the case for wood. Large wooded lots and a strong wood-heat tradition mean many homeowners already have their fuel — and a wood insert turns cordwood into cheap, grid-independent heat. Many homes here also run on propane, so a gas insert off the tank is the switch-on alternative. Both seal a drafty open firebox, and both need a chimney that's swept and lined.
Woodlots, propane, and the cheapest heat
Fairview is wooded, rural, and propane country — the natural-gas mains don't reach out here. That combination makes wood heat genuinely popular, and for good reason: if you've got trees, a wood insert is the cheapest heat there is, and it's heat you own outright with no fuel bill and no grid to depend on. If you'd rather skip the splitting and hauling, a gas insert connects to your propane tank, set up for LP, and gives you the same warmth at the flip of a switch — Valor even builds inserts that run with zero electricity for the storm-prone stretches out here.
Creosote is the real risk here
With this much wood-burning, creosote buildup is the leading cause of chimney fires in Fairview, and the fix is an annual fall sweep before the season. A modern EPA-certified wood insert actually helps: it burns its own smoke, so the flue stays cleaner than a smoldering open fireplace ever kept it — though the sweep and inspection still stay on the calendar. Every insert we install includes a correctly sized stainless liner, and on the gas side we pull the Buncombe County permit and pressure-test the line, since connecting gas is licensed work.
Fifteen minutes away
We're 15 minutes away in Asheville — come watch gas and wood inserts burn side by side at the showroom, or call (828) 545-0525 for a free in-home assessment.
Fireplace help in Fairview
We install and service fireplaces throughout Fairview and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes east from our Asheville-area showroom.
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